January 2022 Minutes
SPILSBY TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on 27th January 2022 at 7pm in the Council Chamber, Franklin Hall, Spilsby
Present: Cllr Terry Taylor (Chairman)
Cllr L Day, Cllr M Gale, Cllr M Gibson, Cllr S Haddock, Cllr T Kemp, Cllr L Marsh, Cllr D Mangion, Cllr K Wood
Also present; Mrs Y Smith (Town Clerk) (TC), Mrs R Ford (Deputy Town Clerk) (DTC), Cllr Wendy Bowkett LCC County Councillor
Public Session
Cllr Bowkett reported that the number of Covid cases was going down however residents need to continue to be careful.
LCC are urging councils to support the Fix Our Fund initiative and to write to Victoria Atkin MP with their concerns.
The double yellow lines have now gone down on Market Street.
It was RESOLVED to move onto the main meeting as there were no press in attendance.
1. Apologies
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr Rose and Cllr Wright.
2. Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011
None
3. Notes from Previous Meetings
a. Full Town Council Meeting 25th November 2021
It was RESOLVED to accept the notes as a true record of the meeting.
b. Community Action Meeting 20th January 2022
It was RESOLVED to accept the notes as a true record of the meeting.
It was ratified to purchased a cherry tree for the A16/Church Road grassed area with a budget of £50 as per para 9 of the minutes.
4. Parish Online Update
Cllr Wood said that she had not been able to access the site.
ACTION – TC to reset password.
Cllr Wood left the meeting at 7.15pm
5. Reports from Town Mayor, Town Clerk and Representatives on Outside Bodies.
Town Mayor- reported that he had been assisting the clerks with a number of issues and had not had any mayoral engagements.
Recreation Ground – Cllr Taylor said that this had been discussed at the Community Action Meeting. He said that the council needed to look at replacing some of the equipment. He said that the council needed to have a meeting with the Recreation Ground Committee so that a better working relationship could be made.
ACTION – TC to contact SRG to arrange a meeting.
Grammar School Foundation- Cllr Gibson reported that the next meeting was to be the 9th February when the funds would be allocated. He said that there was a healthy sum in the fund and they were hoping that more candidates would apply.
Poorlands- Nothing to Report
Twinning – TC reported that there was to be an AGM with cheese and wine in February. Visits are beginning to be planned with the possibility of the French coming in July and a trip to Germany in August. No dates had been fixed.
Good Neighbourhood Scheme- Cllr Gibson reported that there was to be a meeting on the 16th February and that there was no date for the next coffee morning as yet.
Community Speed Watch – Cllr Day reported that the team had gone out today however there were only two of them so they could not log the numbers. There were lots of volunteers on the WhatsApp group but they never volunteered for a session. She suggested advertising in the Explorer again.
Business Partnership – TC said that she had been to a meeting for the 60s Weekend where a lot of the businesses had attended and had volunteered to apply for the TTROs and completed the Events Notice Forms and Risk Assessments. She said this was not in her role as TC.
6. Churchyard Wall Update
TC reported that the railings were now in place. The owner of no 2 wants the council to put down decking which would cost £3K and that there was no decking there before the wall collapse. The work was almost finished and would be signed off.
Councillors felt that as there was no decking there previously that the Council should not use residents’ money to pay for it.
It was RESOVLED not to put decking down and to be like for like restoration.
7. Changed to Committees and Additional Responsibilities Hierarchy Plan
TC tabled a report regarding the review.
Cllr Taylor said that this had come about due to pressures in the office and had come to the view that there were a lot of meetings. Following a meeting with Cllr Day, TC, DTC and himself, the new plan was devised.
It was RESOLVED to adopt the new plan
ACTION – TC to revise Terms of Reference.
8. Queens’ Platinum Jubilee Celebrations June 2022
TC tabled a report regarding the celebrations.
It was agreed that Shamfields would be the best site for the beacon lighting. The Tourism and Events Committee to organise the celebrations.
ACTION – TC to organise a meeting
9. Fix our Funds to Fix our Roads Campaign by LCC
Central Government has reduced the funding to LCC by 12 million pounds for road repairs. Cllr Bowkett said that this funding had been given to the London area as the Government thought that the roads there were worse than Lincolnshire.
It was RESOLVED to write a formal letter to Victoria Atkins MP.
ACTION – TC/DTC to place on Facebook and the Town Council website with a link
10. Remote Council Meetings
Central Government had said that remote meetings could not be held for Full Council Meetings and Sub-Committee Meetings, only working groups. LALC is asking for support to write to MPs to have this amended.
It was felt that hybrid meetings were a good idea and it would be more inclusive for councillors who were unable to attend meetings for whatever reason but could do via remote.
It was RESOLVED to support remote meetings by sending a letter to Victoria Atkins MP
11. Changes to Burial Proposal by DEFRA
TC explained that DEFRA were proposing increasing the grave space sizes and the width between them. This would mean that more room would be needed in cemeteries which could cause problems. Spilsby had land already set aside.
It was RESOLVED to write to DEFRA to ask them to reconsider.
12. Parish Agreement Scheme-Urban Highways Grass Cutting 2022-23
TC said that the Council’s contractor cut the grass more often than the Council were being reimbursed for however the town looked tidier. She explained that the exact figure for reimbursement was not yet know but would not be less than last year and a little more as there were some other areas included in the scheme.
It was RESOLVED to continue with the Parish Agreement Scheme.
13. Planning Application Decisions to note.
a. S/165/01990/21 Flat 2 8 Cornhill, Spilsby Application Refused
b. S/165/02041/21 The Old Vicarage, 1 Church Street, Spilsby Listed Building Consent Given
c. S/165/02241/21 71 Boston Road, Spilsby Full Permission Given
d. S/165/02209/21 Woodlands Fishery Ashby Road Spilsby Full Permission Given
14. Grant Applications
a. Citizens Advice – It was RESOLVED not to make a grant.
b. LIVES- It was RESOLVED to make a grant of £250
15. Vital and Viable Meeting 21st January 2022
TC tabled a report of the meeting.
Cllr Marsh said that more Lincolnshire Flags were needed and also suggested a ‘Spilsby Flag’ which could be designed by competition.
The Councillors were most concerned about the state of the toilets in the town and felt that something should be done to deep clean and refurbish them.
ACTION – Contact Sam Phillips ELDC to ask if the funding could be use to refurbish the toilets.
16. Orders for Payment
It was RESOLVED to accept all orders for payment for Dec21/Jan22. The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.20pm